Castro’s Life

A Special Sitting of Parliament was held here this morning, to pay tribute to the late Fidel Castro, former President of Cuba, who died on November 25th.

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said there was a tremendous outpouring of sympathy from the global community on the passing of Cuba’s revolutionary Leader Fidel Castro on November 25th.

Castro was a Cuban politician and revolutionary who governed the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008. Under his administration, Cuba became a one-party socialist state; industry and business were nationalized, and state socialist reforms were implemented throughout society.

Dr. Gonsalves said the Cuban government, under Mr. Castro’s leadership, has made a significant contribution to this country’s development agenda.

Prime Minister Gonsalves noted that St. Vincent and the Grenadines joined most of the world’s leader in promptly paying tribute to Fidel.

Meanwhile, Dr. Godwin Friday, Leader of the Opposition described the late Cuban Leader as a larger-than-life international figure.

Dr. Friday noted that the late Fidel Castro has always been part of the global, political landscape more international than merely Caribbean. He said that to many persons inside and outside Cuba, Fidel was a great revolutionary who brought hope of the better and more just world.